1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to barbecue apparatus, and more particularly to apparatus for supporting grills and skewers at desired distances above a bed of charcoal embers.
2. Description of the Prior Art
(The term "prior art" as used herein, or in any statement by or on behalf of applicant, means only that any document or thing referred to as prior art bears, directly or inferentially, a date which is earlier than the effective filing date hereof.)
Barbecue apparatus is widely known and used in the United States of America and in other countries. Typically, the barbecue apparatus comprises a pan mounted on legs or other supports and adapted to contain a layer or bed of glowing embers, usually from charcoal bricquets or chunks of charcoal. The food to be broiled is supported a spaced distance above the bed of glowing embers, often upon an open grill, and sometimes on skewers.
The heat from the glowing embers tends to be concentrated at the central portion of the grill, and it is difficult to position the food for optimum results. Many examples of existing barbecue apparatus are "portable", that is, they may be taken apart to a greater or lesser degree so as to occupy less space while being transported or stored. Because of the relatively large diameter of the fire pan and grill, even the dismounted apparatus requires considerable space.
It has been found that chunks of food can best be barbecued when impaled in a row upon a skewer. Many arrangements have been proposed for supporting such skewers in position for the food impaled thereon to be cooked. These schemes usually require considerable extra apparatus in order to regulate the distance between the glowing embers and the food to be cooked. Also, skewers supported upon or in place of an open grill tend to overcook the food overlying the center of the fire pan and undercook the skewered food near the outer edges of the fire pan.
It is believed that the patents listed below contain information which is typical of conventional barbecue apparatus and which is or might be considered to be material to the examination of this application.
U.S. Pat. No. D 202,157 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,009,410 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,297,166 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,309,982 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,741,103 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 3,848,523 PA1 U.S. Pat. No. 4,380,190 PA1 Austrian Patent No. 167,890
These patents are believed to be relevant to the present invention because they were adduced by a prior art search made by an independent searcher.
A copy of each of the above-listed patents is supplied to the Patent and Trademark Office herewith.
No representation or admission is made that any of the above-listed documents is part of the prior art, in any acceptation of that term, or that no more pertinent information exists.